Latvian ice-cream maker Rujienas Saldejums to enter new sales markets in Europe, CIS this year

RIGA - Latvian ice-cream maker Rujienas Saldejums this year plans to enter altogether six new sales markets, said the company's CEO, Igors Miezis.

"At present we export to 14 countries but expect to increase the number to 20,” he said, adding that this year Rujienas Saldejums intended to start exports to several new countries in the CIS and Europe. He would not specify the countries before the actual signing of the contracts.

The company will be selling in the new markets Mini Melts ice cream balls and its main products. Miezis said the export products will be the same as those Rujienas Saldejums sells on the domestic market and only the packaging will be adjusted to to specific foreign markets.

At present Rujienas Saldejums is selling its products in the Baltic states, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary etc. This week the company started sending its Mini Melts ice cream balls to Denmark.

Exports increased significantly last year to 43-45 percent, and further increase of the export share to 50 percent is expected this year.

In 2016, Rujienas Saldejums turned over EUR 1.611 million, up 26.6 percent from a year before, and incurred a EUR 240,176 loss, which was 3.2 times larger than in 2015.

Founded in 2009, Rujienas Saldejums is fully owned by Miezis.